I got a polite email from a recent college grad this week asking for advice about how to get into college counseling. She knew a counseling colleague that I really like and respect, so I took the time to write what I thought was a very detailed and (hopefully) helpful reply.
Then I heard nothing back. No thank you, no acknowledgement, nothing. And sadly, I wasn’t surprised. This has become a common outcome (at least for me) in these scenarios.
The information age has made it wonderfully easy to reach out, to connect, and to potentially have an exchange with just about anyone. You don’t need to make a cold call, or set up a lunch, or earn a personal introduction face-to-face. All you need is an email address to show up in their inbox.
But just because it’s easy for you to reach out doesn’t mean that what you get back isn’t worth something.
People’s time has value. Their experience and knowledge have value. If they share them with you, please acknowledge it. If it’s helpful, say so. If you plan on taking their advice or otherwise benefiting from whatever they give, say so. You may not have anything to give in return (especially when you’re the one that needs something). But believe me, your sincere thanks and acknowledgement will go a long way. And remember that someone who refers you to your source has stuck his or her neck out for you. How you handle the interaction reflects on them, too.
If this sounds spiteful, I really don’t mean it to be. I actually applaud the initiative and offer this advice here as just fine-tuning, something that might help with this part of the learning process of moving from a college student to a gainfully employed adult.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to people. Ask for help, advice, or information. Getting a little guidance from people who can help is worth the effort. But remember to be polite, not just at the beginning of the interaction when you need something, but also at the end when you’ve received it.